June 10, 2010 – Hilo, Hawaii

The following media release was made available by Kamehameha Festival event coordinator and member of the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Māmala Hoa (Hilo Chapter) – Pua Ishibashi, through the website kamehamehafestival.org:

The Kamehameha Festival (Festival) is part of the Kamehameha Day celebration that was first established in 1871 as a national holiday of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i. Today, the Festival honor’s the memory of Kamehameha who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 to became Hawai‘i’s first King. The Festival also acts to protect, preserve, and perpetuate the Hawaiian culture by sharing traditional Hawaiian music, dance, and traditions, with thousands of island residents and visitors from around the world.

The 2010 Kamehameha Festival will be held on Friday June 11, 2010 (Kamehameha Day) in Hilo, Hawai‘i on Moku Ola (Coconut Island) from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Festival will feature the sweet sounds of Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners Ipo Kumukahi, Diana Aki, Darlene Ahuna, and four-time Grammy Award winner, George Kahumoku Jr. The Festival will also include hula by Hālau Ha’a Kea o Kinohi and Ke Ola Pono No Na Kupuna, cultural presentations such as ni‘ihau shell lei making, feather work, and mea kaua (ancient warrior weapons), ‘ono food, and an assortment of “Hawai‘i-Made” arts and craft vendors for that special cultural gift.

Proudly presented by the Royal Order of Kamehameha, the Festival is free and open to the public and is an alcohol and tobacco free event. For more information on the Kamehameha Festival please visit KamehamehaFestival.org.

2010 Kamehameha Festival Schedule (Tentative)
Hilo, Hawaii
Moku Ola (Island of Life)
June 11, 2010
10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Opening Ceremony
Various Hula Hālau & Entertainment
Royal Order of Kamehameha I Ceremony
Various Hula Hālau & Entertainment
Closing Ceremony

Note: The Festival will feature the sweet sounds of Aunty Diana Aki, Ipo Kumukahi, Darlen Ahuna, and George Kahumoku and hula by Ke Ola Pono No Na Kupuna and Hālau Ha’a Kea o Kinohi. Cultural presentations such as ni‘ihau shell lei making, feather work, and mea kaua (ancient warrior weapons) will also be featured along with ‘ono (delicious) food and an assortment of “Hawai‘i-Made” arts and craft vendors for that special cultural gift.

The Kamehameha Festival is presented by the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Māmala Hoa (Hilo chapter), in collaboration with Hale Mua Cultural Group Inc. (Hale Mua) acting as fiscal sponsor, and Kūkulu Business Resources (Kūkulu) providing fund development, capacity building, and project management. Māmala Hoa was established by Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole in 1907 in Hilo, Moku O Keawe (Island of Hawai‘i) and was dedicated to honor the memory of Kamehameha and uplift the Kanaka ‘Ōiwi (aboriginal peoples of Hawai‘i). Incorporated in 1997, Hale Mua is identified by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501© (3) nonprofit organization. The primary purpose of Hale Mua is to preserve and perpetuate the culture of the Kanaka ‘Ōiwi and to administer grants to stabilize, restore, and maintain Hawaiian historical sites, as well as Hawaiian educational programs. Kūkulu is a Native Hawaiian corporation that provides cultural competent business consultation and training to for-profit corporations and nonprofit organizations (KukuluHawaii.com).

In recent years presenters of the Kamehameha Festival have partnered with such organizations as the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), County of Hawai‘i Research & Development, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) in the presentation of this historical and culturally significant event.